Diffusion of the stable 96Zr tracer isotope in 12mol% polycrystalline scandia-stabilized zirconia was studied in air at 1200 to 1600C. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to record the tracer diffusion profiles. The diffusivities for bulk and grain boundary diffusion were given by,

D (cm2/s) = 5.1 x 100 exp[-5.0(eV)/kT]

D (cm2/s) = 1.5 x 104 exp[-3.9(eV)/kT]

respectively, with the latter values being 6 to 7 orders of magnitude higher than the former values. Using X-ray diffraction methods, it was proved that the diffusion occurred only in the cubic phase.

M.A.Taylor, M.Kilo, G.Borchardt, S.Weber, H.Scherrer: Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2005, 25[9], 1591-5